Terminals for flat electrical conductors



July 5, 1966 P. K. PARKINSON ETAL 3,259,873

TERMINALS FOR FLAT ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Filed Oct. 21, 1963 gSheets-Sheet 1 F I ya-R INVENTORS 1 404 K. Poem/v50 6424 .1 Ham/awa y1966 P. K, PARKINSON ETAL 3,259,873

TERMINALS FOR FLAT ELECTRICAL GONDUCTORS Filed 001;. 21, 1963 2Sheets-Sheet 2 m a s N s mi H mu m Wm M m a v k m e a. J m 2 y m 2 mm m0 P 5 6 mm w a 6 H I a W K A i Q 4 H m 7/ L Mw mJ 4w a 4 4 y Am Z Z a3,259,873 TERMINALS FOR FLAT ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Paul K. Parkinson,Monterey Park, and Carl H. Hemingway, La Puente, Calif., assignors, bymesne assignments, to International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation,New York, N.Y., a corporation of Maryland Filed Oct. 21, 1963, Ser. No.317,683 10 Claims. (Cl. 339-97) The present invention relates totermination devices for electrical conductors, and it relatesparticularly to a novel terminal adapted to be attached to a flatelectrical conductor and to a novel method of attaching the terminal tothe flat conductor. The present invention has especial utility in thetermination of the conductor ribbons of fiat electrical cables commonlyknown as strip cables.

Terminals for fiat electrical conductors such as the flat conductorribbons of a strip cable may take various forms. For example, suchterminals may comprise contact terminals of an electrical connectormember which is adapted to be engaged with another connector memberhaving mating contact terminals. In such a case, the terminals for theflat conductor ribbons will usually each have a terminal portion at oneend adapted to be mechanically and electrically connected to a bared endof a respective conductor ribbon of the cable, and will at the other endhave contacting means such as a pin or socket or other means which ismateable with another contact terminal member. The use of such pin orsocket contact terminal members as terminations for the flat conductorribbons of a strip cable may, for example, be for the purpose ofproviding a transition from the flat cable to round wires.

Regardless of the purpose for which the fiat conductor terminals are tobe employed, it has been conventional prior art practice to attach theterminals to the flat conductor ribbons by soldering or welding. This isgeneral- 15; difficult and time consuming and has the disadvantage thatthe terminals cannot readily be disconnected from the ends of theconductor ribbons for repair or circuit reconstitution.

Because of the foregoing difficulties, attempts have been made in theart to attach terminals to flat conductors by crimping spaced jaws ofeach terminal against opposite sides of a bared flat conductor. However,this procedure has not heretofore been satisfactory because of the factthat stress creep or relaxation would gradually occur after the crimphad been applied, causing the jaws to gradually release their grip onthe conductor, thus diminishing or completely releasing the mechanicaland electrical connection.

. In view of these and other problems in the art, it is an object of thepresent invention to provide a novel terminal adapted to be crimped to aflat electrical conductor, and to provide a novel method of crimpingsame to the flat conductor, wherein regions having opposing stresses areestablished in the crimped terminal such that stress creep or relaxationin one region of the terminal which tends to diminish the grip of theterminal on the flat conductor will be compensated at least in part byan opposing stress creep or relaxation in another region of the terminalwhich tends to increase or strengthen the grip of the terminal on thefiat conductor.

Another more specific object of the present invention is to provide anovel terminal for a flat electrical conductor such as a conductorribbon of a flat electrical cable, wherein the terminal embodies a pairof spaced crimp jaws which are crimped together against opposite sidesof the flat conductor, the jaws being so constructed and the crimp beingapplied in such a manner that the primary bend applied to the terminalfor crimping the jaws to- United States Patent 3,259,873 Patented July5, 1966 gether will occur generally proximate the roots of the jaws anda secondary bend will be applied in the opposite direction to at leastone of the jaws in a region intermediate the root and free end of thatjaw, whereby any tendency for stress creep or relaxation in said primarybend to cause a weakening of the grip of the jaws on the conductor willtend to be compensated for by an opposed stress creep or relaxation inthe region of said secondary bend which will tend to urge the free endsof the jaws closer together.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a crimp typeterminal for a flat electrical conductor in which opposed jaws of theterminal are provided with a novel arrangement of gripping teeth whereinopposed teeth have longitudinally offset peaks which cause pinching orcompressing of the flat conductor against flat, inclined portions of theteeth adjacent the peaks in such a manner that the teeth will not bitethrough or damage the conductor. Additionally, this novel arrangement ofthe teeth assists in the establishment of the double stress patternwhich tends to compensate for stress creep or relaxation.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in thecourse of the following part of the specification, wherein the detailsof construction, mode of operation and novel method steps of a preferredembodiment are described with reference to the accompanying draw ings,in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view, with a port-ion broken away, illustrating aplurality of socket contact terminals embodying the present inventioncrimped to the respective conductor ribbons of a flat electrical cable.

FIGURE 2 is an axial vertical section taken on the line 2-2 furtherillustrating the relationship of the contact terminal members to theflat electrical cable.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 33 in FIGURE1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary transverse vertical section takenon the line 4-4 in FIGURE 2 illustrating two of the contact terminalmembers crimped to respective bared conductor ribbons of the flat cable.

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are sequential figures illustrating the method ofcrimping one of the terminals to the respective bared conductor ribbonof the flat cable;

FIGURE 5 illustrating the crimping jaws of the terminal in theirinitial, open position with the conductor ribbon operatively positionedtherebetween for the crimp;

FIGURE 6 illustrating the jaws partially closed, with the forwardgripping teeth having come into gripping engagement with the conductorribbon; and

FIGURE 7 illustrating the jaws fully crimped together with the ribbonbeing gripped between all opposed pairs of gripping teeth.

Although the present invention is illustrated and will be particularlydescribed herein in connection with the attachment of contact terminalmembers to conductor ribbons of a fiat electrical cable, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to this particular use :buthas general utility in the attachment of termination means to a flatelectrical conductor.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURES 1 to 4 illustrate a plurality ofcontact terminal members 10 embodying crimping structure according tothe present invention attached to a fiat cable 12 commonly known as 'astrip cable, the individual contact terminal members 10 being crimped tothe bared end portions of the respective flat conductor ribbons 14 ofcable 12.

The strip cable 12 comprises a sheet 16 of insulation material with theflat conductor ribbons 14 embedded therein in generally parallel,spaced, co-planar relationship. The conductor ribbons 14 are bared onboth sides commencing at end edge 18 of the cable and extending back asutlicient distance to permit crimping of the contact terminal membersto the respective conductor ribbons 14. Although the conductor ribbons14 may thus be bared on both sides of the cable 12 as best shown in FIG-URE 4, an alternative procedure is to bare the ribbons 14 on one side ofthe cable and then to double the end of the cable over so as to exposethis one bared side of the ribbons on both sides of the end portion ofthe cable.

Each of the contact terminal members 10 includes a forward contactingportion 20 which is adapted for mating with an opposed contact member(not shown), and a rearward terminal portion 22 which is adapted forcrimping to a respective conductor ribbon 14. For purposes ofillustration only, the forward contacting portion 20 of each contactterminal member 10 has been shown as a socket contacting portion whichis adapted to mate with an opposed pin contact member.

Each contact terminal member 10 includes a generally flat body 24 havingan integral forwardly extending pin or rod 26 thereon which extends intothe rearward portion of a socket tube 28, the forward portion of whichconstitutes the contacting portion of the socket. The socket tube may becrimped, soldered, brazed or welded to the pin or rod 26 so as to becoma permanent part of the contact terminal member 10.

A pair of opposed, spaced crimping jaws 30 and 32 extend rearwardly fromthe body portion 24 of the contact terminal member 10. Preferably, oneof the jaws 30 extends rearwardly generally in alignment with the sockettube 28, while the other jaw 32 extends at an angle with respect to thejaw member 30 from an apex at the flat body 24 prior to the crimpingoperation, the jaws 30 and 32 being substantially parallel after thecrimping operation.

The jaws 30 and 32 have respective free ends 34 and 36, the jawsdefining a slot 38 therebetween which is adapted to receive one of thebared flat conductor ribbons 14.

By having one of the jaws 30 substantially aligned with the contactsocket 28 and the other jaws 32 offset from the axis of socket 28 wherethe jaw 32 commences at body 24, and then during the crimping by closingthe jaw 32 toward the jaw 38 while maintaining the alignment between jaw30 and socket tube 28, the result is that the socket tube 28 extendsgenerally longitudinally from the end edge 18 of the cable 12 but offsetto one side of the plane of cable 12. By staggering the contact terminalmembers 10, as best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, with the socket tubes 28of alternate contact terminal members 10 being disposed on oppositesides of the plane of the strip cable 12, greater spacing is providedbetween adjacent socket tubes 28, thereby decreasing the likelihood ofelectrical cross-over or leakage, and permitting greater voltages to beemployed for a given spacing between adjacent fiat conductor ribbons 14of the strip cable 12.

Referring in greater detail'to the construction of the jaws 30 and 32,the jaw 30 is provided on its inner edge facing the slot 38 with aplurality of teeth 40, 42, 44 and 46 commencing at the free end 34 ofjaw 30 and extending rearwardly approximately half the length of theslot 38. Similarly, the jaw 32 has teeth 48, 50, 52 and 54 thereon whichgenerally oppose the respective teeth 40, 42, 44 and 46 of jaw 38.

The jaws 30 and 32 have respective outer longitudinal edges 56 and 58which are preferably but not necessarily generally straight, and thefree ends of jaws 30 and 32 are provided with respective externalchamfers 60 and 62. The chamfer 62 of jaw 32 intersects the outerlongitudinal edge 58 of jaw 32 at an external corner 64.

The jaw 32 has an external notch 66 proximate the root of the jaw whereit joins the body 24; Le. the notch 66 is generally at the forward endof the outer longitudinal edge 58 of jaw 32. This external notch 66 isfor the purpose of reducing the rigidity of jaw 32 proximate its root sothat during the crimping operation the primary bend will occur in thisregion.

An internal notch 68 is provided in jaw 32 facing the slot 38 betweenthe jaws, this notch 68 being intermediate the root and free end of jaw32. This internal notch 68 is for the purpose of providing secondarybending of the jaw 32 intermediate its ends during the crimpingoperation in the manner hereinafter described in detail for establishinga secondary stress area in jaw 32 which will tend to compensate forstress creep or relaxation in the region of the primary bend proximatethe root of jaw 32.

The fulcrum about which the crimping force tends to bend the jaw 32 inits primary bend will be proximate the inner end 70 of the slot 38.

Referring now to FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, these figures illustrate a crimpingsequence wherein the jaws 30 and 32 of one of the contact terminalmembers 18 are crimped about opposite sides of a conductor ribbon 14between a pair of opposed die members 72 and 74 which are moved towardeach other. With the jaws 30 and 32 constructed in the manner shown inthe drawings and heretofore described in detail, the die members 72 and74 may have fiat, generally parallel die faces which engage therespective outer edges 56 and 58 of jaws 30 and 32. While either or bothof the die members 72 and 74 may be moved during the crimping operation,for the purpose of simplicity in the following explanation it will beassumed that the die member 72 is stationary and that the die member 74is being moved downwardly toward the die member 72.

The outer longitudinal edge 56 of jaw 30 is set flat against the face ofdie 72, and the strip cable 12 is engaged in the slot 38 between thejaws 30 and 32, with the bared end portion of a conductor ribbon 14registering with the jaws 30 and 32. As the upper die 74 commences tomove downwardly it will first engage the outer corner 64 of jaw 32, andwill bend the jaw 32 down into engagement against the conductor ribbon14. Most of the bending will occur approximate the root of jaw 32because of the external notch 66, and because this is the region of thegreatest torque. However, because of the reduced structural rigidity ofjaw 32 in the region of internal notch 68, there will be some bendingproximate the internal notch 68, although this will normally be arelativly small amount of bending because of the much smaller torque atthis point than that proximate the root of the jaw.

As the jaws 30 and 32 first come into gripping engage ment about theribbon 14 as illustrated in FIGURE 6, the opposed teeth 42 and 50 willbe the first to close down upon the ribbon 14. The principal reason whythe opposed teeth 42 and 50 near the free ends of the jaw come togetherfirst is that the peaks of the teeth 50, 52 and 54 on jaw 32 are notaligned with one side of the general angle A defined between the jaws inthe initial open position of the jaws as shown in FIGURE 5, but arearranged instead so that a line passing through the peaks of teeth 50,52 and 54 is at a lesser angle B with respect to the peaks of the teeth42, 44 and 46 of the other jaw 30 than the general jaw angle A. Thus, asseen in FIGURE 6, as the jaws are being brought toward the crimpedposition on opposite sides of the conductor ribbon 14, the rearwardmostsharp teeth 42 and 50 are the closest together and the first to engagethe ribbon 14. The next pair of opposed teeth 44 and 52 are stillslightly spaced when the teeth 42 and 50 engage the ribbon, and the nextset of opposed teeth 46 and 54 are still further apart than the teeth 44and 52.

An additional factor which tends to bring the opposed teeth 42 and 50together before the other opposed pairs of teeth is the slight downwardbend of the free end portion of jaw 32 from the internal notch 68.

It will be noted from FIGURE 6 and particularly FIG- URE 7 that thepeaks of teeth 50, 52 and 54 on jaw 32 are offset slightly forwardlyrelative to the peaks of the adjacent teeth 42, 44 and 46, respectively,on jaw 30.

This results in the ribbon 14 being pinched or compressed and bentbetween opposed inclined surfaces of the mating teeth in the manner bestshown in FIGURE 7, so that the teeth will not bite through and causepermanent damage to the ribbon 14. This is important to provide optimumelectrical continuity between the ribbon and the terminal, and is alsoimportant to permit disengagement of the terminal from the ribbon andsubsequent reengagement of the same or a different terminal with thesame ribbon without imparied electrical continuity. Thus, the presentinvention provides the feature of easy removability of the contactterminal member from the strip cable conductor and subsequentreplacement for repair or circuit reconstitution.

In the final phase of the crimping stroke from the position shown inFIGURE 6 to that of FIGURE 7 further movement of the tooth 50 toward thetooth 42 will tightly compress the ribbon between the opposed inclinedsurfaces of these two teeth, and the peak portions of these teeth willgive way and bend in a longitudinal direction as required. It ispreferred that the material of the teeth be somewhat softer or moremalleable than the material of the conductor ribbon 14 to facilitatethis longitudinal shifting of the peaks of teeth 42 and 50 relative toeach other and to avoid possible galling of the conductor ribbon.

The crimping action between the position of FIGURE 6 and that of FIGURE7 will further result in straightening out of the jaw 32 in the regionof internal notch 68, which actually is a reverse bending of the jaw 32in this region. During this reverse bending the rearward portion of jaw32 will pivot about the point where teeth 42 and 50 grip the conductorribbon 14. At the same time the opposed teeth 44 and 52 will grip theribbon 14 bein time after the crimp has been applied there will be atendency for stress creep or relaxation to occur in this region, whichwill tend to relax the grip of the jaws on the conductor ribbon 14.However, since the final bending in the region of internal notch 68intermediate the ends of jaw 32 was a reverse bend straightening. thisjaw out from a slightly outwardly convexed condition, an opposite stresscondition will occur in this intermediate region of jaw 32 and stresscreep or relaxation in this region will be such that the free endportion of jaw 32 will tend to move toward the opposed jaw 30, thustending to compensate for the stress creep proximate the root of jaw 32.Thus, despite the occurrence of stress creep, this compensation willresult in the jaws maintaining a firm mechanical and electricalengagement of the conductor ribbon 14.

In addition to this compensating stress creep in the intermediateportion of jaw 32 proximate internal notch 68, it is believed that theapplication of the aforesaid reverse bending which generally straightensout the jaw 32 at the final part of the crimping stroke will result insome downward biasing of the free end of jaw 32 toward jaw 30, accordingto the amount of resiliency of the material of the jaws. Any suchbiasing would operate inthe correct direction to assist in holding theopposing teeth in crimping engagement with the conductor ribbon 14. Afurther possible assistance in the compensation also appears to resultfrom the fact that when the final crimping movement is applied theopposed teeth, and particularly teeth 42 and 50, are cammed so as tobend in a longitudinal direction relative to the cable and contactmember, the tooth 4-2 tending a bend rearwardly or to the right inFIGURE 7, and the tooth 52 tending to bend forwardly or to the left inFIGURE 7. A similar but lesser etfect tends to occur between theopposing teeth 44 and 52 and the opposing teeth 46 and 54. Any

stress creep or relaxation occurring in the teeth will tend to move thepeaks of the opposing teeth closer together, thus tending to tightentheir grips on the conductor ribbon.

It will be noted that the opposed teeth 40 and 48 proximate the freeends of jaw-s 30 and 32, respectively, are rounded and do not come intogripping engagement with the conductor ribbon. These rounded teeth 40and 48 act as a strain relief entrance for the conductor ribbon into theterminal to minimize wear of the conductor ribbon' at this point.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in whatis conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosedherein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A terminal for a flat electrical conductor comprising a forward bodyhaving a pair of jaws extending rearwardly therefrom and adapted toreceive a flat electrical conductor therebetween, a first pair ofopposed internal gripping teeth generally rearwardly disposed on thejaws, and a second pair of opposed internal gripping teeth on the jawsintermediate the first teeth and the body, the jaws having a firstrelative position wherein they diverge rearw-ardly from the body towardtheir free ends for insertion of a flat electrical conductortherebetween, a second relative position wherein the jaws are partiallyclosed and said first teeth are initially engaged against opposite sidesof the fiat conductor, and a third relative position wherein said jawsare fully closed with both of said pairs of opposed teeth tightlyengaged against opposite sides of the flat conductor, at least one ofthe jaws being bendable at a primary bend region proximate the body toallow partial closing of the jaws from their said first relativeposition to their said second relative position, said first opposedteeth projecting further toward each other than said second opposedteeth so that in said second relative position of the jaws with saidfirst opposed teeth engaged against opposite sides of the flat conductorthere is a clearance between said second opposed teeth that ismaterially greater than the thickness of the flat conductor, at leastone of said jaws being bendable at a secondary bend region intermediatesaid first teeth and the body, whereby during the final closing movementof the jaws from said second relative position to said third relativeposition the engagement of said first teeth against the conductor willoppose relative closing movement between the free end portions of thejaws and closure of said second teeth against opposite sides of theconductor will result in generally oppositely directed bending movementsin said primary and secondary bend regions and hence gene-rallyoppositely directed stress patterns in said primary and secondary bendregions.

2. A terminal as defined in claim 1 wherein said terminal comprises acontact terminal of an electrical connector, said contact terminalhaving a forward contacting portion extending forwardly from said bodyand adapted to mate with another contact terminal.

3. A terminal as defined in claim 1 wheri-n said primary and secondarybend regions are each defined by a narrowed place in the respective jawbetween its inner and outer surfaces.

4. A terminal as defined in claim -1 wherein said primary bend region isldefi-ned by an external notch in the respective jaw proximate the bodyand said secondary bend region is defined by an internal notch in therespective jaw intermediate said first teeth and the body.

5. A terminal as defined in claim 4 wherein said notches are in the samejaw.

6. A terminal as defined in claim 1, wherein said 7 body andjaws aregenerally flat and coplanar, with the plane of the body and jawsgenerally perpendicular to the plane of the flat conductor that isengaged between the jaws.

7. A terminal as defined in claim 6 wherein the peaks of the opposedteeth are voifset relative to each other -in a direction .logitudinallyof the jaws, the .flatconductor being gripped between opposed inclinedsurfaces of the opposed teeth adjacent the offset peaks of .the opposedteethand ,theflat conductor being deformed to a generally serpentinepattern in the region of the teeth.

v.8. A terminal for a vflat electrical conductor comprising a generallyflat forward body having a ,pair of generally :flat jaws extending.rearwardly therefrom and ,gen-

-erally coplanar therewith, thejijaws being initially diverg- .ing andopen to receive .a flat electrical conductor there- .between with theplane of the conductor generally .perpendicular to the plane of the body.and jaws, at least one of the jaws being bendable in .its plane at aprimary bend region proximate the body .for closing the inner edges ofthe jaws against opposite sides of the conductor upon the application ofcrimping force to the outer edges of the jaws, the jaws having firstopposed gripping teeth generally 'rear-wa-rdly disposed on their inneredges and second opposed gripping teeth on their inner edges between thefirst teeth and the body, said teeth being so arranged that as the jawsapproach the closed position said first teeth will close against the.flatconduetor ahead of said second teeth, at least one .of the jawsbeing bendable in its plane at a secondary .bend region intermediatesaid first teeth .and the body to close said second teeth againsttheiiat conductor .as the jaws are moved to the .fully closed position,the peaks of the opposed teeth being oifset relative .to each other vina :direction longi- I tudinally of the jaws, the flat conductor beinggripped between opposed inclined surfaces of the opposed teeth adjacentthe offset peaks of the opposed teeth with the flat conductor beingdeformed to a generally serpentine .pattern in the region of the teeth,and at least said first opposed teeth being deform-able in a directionlongitudinally of the jaws so that said first teeth will deformlongitudinally relative to the jaws as said first teeth are compressedagainst opposite sides of the conductor during movement of the jaws tothe fully closed position in order to minimize damage to the conductorby said first teeth.

9. A terminal as defined in claim 8 wherein said primary and secondarybend regions are in the same jaw,

.said primary bend region being defined by a notch in the outer edge ofthat jaw and said secondary bend region bending defined by a notch inthe inner edge of that jaw.

10. A terminal as defined in claim 9 wherein the teeth on said jawhaving the bend regions therein are offset toward the body with respectto the opposedteeth ion the other jaw.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,962,692 '1 l/1960 White 339-220 2,965 6-99 12/ 1960 lBollmeier 174 84 3,140,9077/1964 Davies 339- 17 3,156,514 11/1964 Wing et a1. 33917 PATRIC-KA.CLIFFORD, Primary Examiner.

W. DONALD MILLER, Examiner.

1. A TERMINAL FOR A FLAT ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR COMPRISING A FORWARD BODYHAVING A PAIR OF JAWS EXTENDING REARWARDLY THEREFROM AND ADAPTED TORECEIVE A FLAT ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR THEREBETWEEN, A FIRST PAIR OFOPPOSED INTERNAL GRIPPING TEETH GENERALLY REARWARDLY DISPOSED ON THEJAWS, AND A SECOND PAIR OF OPPOSED INTERNAL GRIPPING TEETH ON THE JAWSINTERMEDIATE THE FIRST TEETH AND THE BODY, THE JAWS HAVING A FIRSTRELATIVE POSITION WHEREIN THEY DIVERGE REARWARDLY FROM THE BODY TOWARDTHEIR FREE ENDS FOR INSERTION OF A FLAT ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORTHEREBETWEEN, A SECOND RELATIVE POSITION WHEREIN THE JAWS ARE PARTIALLYCLOSED AND SAID FIRST TEETH ARE INITIALLY ENGAGED AGAINST OPPOSITE SIDESOF THE FLAT CONDUCTOR, AND A THIRD RELATIVE POSITION WHEREIN SAID JAWSARE FULLY CLOSED WITH BOTH OF SAID PAIRS OF OPPOSED TEETH TIGHTLYENGAGED AGAINST OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE FLAT CONDUCTOR, AT LEAST ONE OFTHE JAWS BEING BENDABLE AT A PRIMARY BEND REGION PROXIMATE THE BODY TOALLOW PARTIAL CLOSING OF THE JAWS FROM THEIR SAID FIRST RELATIVEPOSITION TO THEIR SAID SECOND RELATIVE POSITION, SAID FIRST OPPOSEDTEETH PROJECTING FURTHER TOWARD EACH OTHER THAN SAID SECOND OPPOSEDTEETH SO THAT IN SAID SECOND RELATIVE POSITION OF THE JAWS WITH SAIDFIRST OPPOSED TEETH ENGAGED AGAINST OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE FLAT CONDUCTORTHERE IS A CLEARANCE BETWEEN SAID SECOND OPPOSED TEETH THAT ISMATERIALLY GREATER THAN THE THICKNESS OF THE FLAT CONDUCTOR, AT LEASTONE OF SAID JAWS BEING BENDABLE AT A SECONDARY BEND REGION INTERMEDIATESAID FIRST TEETH AND THE BODY, WHEREBY DURING THE FINAL CLOSING MOVEMENTOF THE JAWS FROM SAID SECOND RELATIVE POSITION TO SAID THIRD RELATIVEPOSITION THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID FIRST TEETH AGAINST THE CONDUCTOR WILLOPPOSE RELATIVE CLOSING MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE FREE END PORTIONS OF THEJAWS AND CLOSURE OF SAID SECOND TEETH AGAINST OPPOSITE SIDES OF THECONDUCTOR WILL RESULT IN GENERALLY OPPOSITELY DIRECTED BENDING MOVEMENTSIN SAID PRIMARY AND SECONDARY BEND REGIONS AND HENCE GENERALLYOPPOSITELY DIRECTED STRESS PATTERNS IN SAID PRIMARY AND SECONDARY BENDREGIONS.